The Kent men’s side head to Lancashire on Tuesday 28 July to contest a Group A Metro Bank One-Day Cup fixture at the newly opened Farington Cricket Ground, with the toss scheduled for 11:00. The match will be the first senior first-team fixture staged at Lancashire’s new second home on the outskirts of Preston.
Form and recent results
Both counties have played two matches so far in Group A, each recording one win and one defeat. Lancashire’s recent results saw a narrow loss to Surrey at Sedbergh followed by a high-scoring victory over Leicestershire at Grace Road, where Keaton Jennings struck 135 in Lancashire’s 383-4. Tom Bailey returned figures of 3-48 as Leicestershire replied with 362-8 and Lancashire won by 21 runs.
Kent’s campaign has also been mixed. The county opened with a win at Canterbury, chasing 254 to beat Northamptonshire for the loss of five wickets, but were beaten at Gloucestershire in their most recent match as the hosts chased down 213.
Players to watch
- Daniel Bell-Drummond – Kent captain and experienced top-order batter.
- Keith Dudgeon – Kent’s overseas seam-bowling all-rounder.
- Ben Dawkins and Ekansh Singh – emerging England Lions batters included in Kent’s squad for the competition.
- Chris Benjamin – dangerous wicketkeeper-batter named in Kent’s side.
- George Balderson – will lead Lancashire’s first team out at Farington for the first time.
Context and significance
For Lancashire the fixture marks an historic first senior first-team match at Farington, which has already hosted second-team and age-group games. It is the first of four senior fixtures scheduled at the ground through the end of 2026, with two men’s matches this week and two women’s One-Day Cup matches planned for September.
Kent arrive with a side that have struggled in recent editions of the competition: the county won the tournament in 2022 but have not progressed from their group in each of the last three seasons, finishing seventh in Group B last year with two wins from eight games.
| Team | Matches | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Kent | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Supporters travelling from Kent should note the venue and start time: Farington Cricket Ground, 11am start on Tuesday 28 July. The match pits a Kent side that blends experienced county performers with younger England Lions prospects against a Lancashire outfit eager to make a statement at its new out-ground.
Selection and final playing XIs on the day will determine how the contest unfolds, but with both teams boasting batting firepower and seam-bowling options, the encounter looks likely to produce a competitive One-Day contest.
